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During holiday seasons, it is common for people to make multiple pies for events they are hosting, but to speed up the process, they may want to cook all their pies at the same time.
While cooking pies in the oven, you can cook multiple pies at the same time if the required oven temperature is the same for both of the pies and the pies are cooked on the bottom rack of the oven. Even if the flavors of the pies are different, it will not interfere with the cooking of the other.
Cooking multiple pies can be done easily in any type of oven, but it will be done differently depending on what kind of oven you use.
Types of Pie vs. Cooking Temperature
There is an infinite amount of dessert pies that have been made. Some examples include classic pies such as cherry, peach, pumpkin, and blueberry. There are also sweeter pies like chocolate, key lime, and lemon meringue.
Though each of these is similar, because they are all pies, they each cook at different temperatures. Some pies do not even require time in the oven. The same pie can also require a different temperature depending on the recipe you follow to make the pie.
You can cook two pies at the same temperature and take one out earlier than the other if that is what the recipe says. Be sure to set two different timers and remember which one is which. Before taking out any pie, make sure you do a toothpick check to make sure the pie is at the right consistency and is fully cooked on the inside.
The real question about baking pies refers to where you should place them in the oven, especially if you are baking multiple pies at once.
Which Rack to Bake Pies on
When baking a pie, it is important to make sure the pies are on the correct rack. Baking the pies on the incorrect rack results in a half baked pie or one that is overdone.
The general consistency you want to achieve for a pie to have is a flaky crust and a cooked middle. To achieve this in the simplest way possible, place as many of the pies you are cooking on the bottom rack of the oven. Because pies have a crust separate from the filling, you want the crust to set up without the filling becoming burnt in the process.
The Top Rack
Placing pies on the top rack of the oven will not sufficiently cook the crust underneath the filling. When you are baking a pie, the two main areas you check for in regards to making sure it is cooked are the underside of the pie, or the crust, and the filling of the pie. Putting the pies on the higher side of the oven will result in the filling getting overcooked and the crust still needing to be cooked longer.
The Bottom Rack
Using the bottom half of the oven to cook pies helps them cook evenly. When you keep the pies in the bottom quadrants in the oven, the crust will be able to cook evenly. The filling will also cook evenly.
Cooking the pies on the bottom rack is not enough, however. When you use a glass pie pan, it is much easier to see how the crust is cooking.
You want the crust to be golden. If you cook it on the bottom rack of the oven, you can achieve this easily.
To learn more about where to put your pie, check out our other article on it right here.
Using a Conventional Oven to Bake Multiple Pies
When using a conventional oven, it is key to cook the pies on the bottom rack. Setting the pie on the bottom rack assists the pie in cooking evenly in regards to the crust. If you were to cook the pies towards the top of the oven, the filling would cook too much and the crust would still be left uncooked.
A conventional oven heats up to all temperatures right around the temperature you preheated the oven. In the end, the oven will average out the heat to the desired temperature, but if you place something in a particular spot in the oven as opposed to another, it will not cook the same way.
Different places in the oven will reach diverse temperatures. For example, heat will consistently be high towards the top and bottom of the oven. In the middle of the oven, something will cook less quickly. Fans heat up the inside of conventional ovens, allowing air to circulate within them, so the temperature will fluctuate right around the preset temperature.
Using a Convection Oven to Bake Multiple Pies
Convection ovens work quite differently than conventional ovens. A convection oven does not fluctuate between temperatures to average out to the desired temperature. Rather, a convection oven uses a fan to blow the hot air directly to the food. This not only will cook the food faster but will also cook the food more evenly.
When a convection oven says it is set at 350°, it does not stray from that set temperature.
It is a good idea to still place your pies near the bottom, but the middle of the rack can work well for some people with this type of oven.
Best Pie Pans For Baking
When baking two pies at once, not only do you want to consider the location of the pies in the oven. The type of pie pan you use will affect the quality of the pies and how long it takes for them to bake. Check out these deep dish ceramic pie pans which are a crowd pleaser on Amazon. If you’re looking for a durable, light weight pan, this USA aluminized steel pan is a great option for an excellent price. These Pyrex pans are clear so you can see how your crust is cooking and they have a nice wide rim. They regulate heat so they cook pies very evenly.
Baking Pie in a Pellet Grill
You can bake a pie on a pellet grill. You can control the temperature so that it’s just about as accurate and consistent as your oven. If it’s cold outside, you might consider using a thermal blanket. Baking pies on a pellet grill can free up space in your oven, especially if you are cooking lots of dishes for a holiday party or a big family gathering. Check out our video where we taste test an apple and pumpkin pie that were baked on one of these grills.
The Concerns of Baking Multiple Pies at Once
There can be some concerns regarding baking multiple pies in the oven at the same time. It may be necessary to do so, though. Some concerns can be related to the flavors and oven temperature.
You may have seen an example of something changing the flavor of something else if it sits too close to a food that has a strong taste. I have personally seen this happen with things that are mint flavored. They somehow change the way everything else around it tastes because mint is such a distinct flavor. There is no need to worry about this with pies, though.
When baking multiple pies at the same time, you may fear one of the pies will change the taste of the rest, but it will not.
You can bake multiple pies without accidentally making a pumpkin pie taste like an apple pie. Having both pies cook in the oven simultaneously will not affect the way each tastes.
I have cooked multiple pies for Thanksgiving at the same time. Normally, we cook pumpkin and Pecan. Each time we have done so, neither pie comes out tasting like the other. Because we make the fillings separate, we do not have to worry about them tasting like one another.
One other thing to be cautious of while you are baking multiple pies at once is that the temperature each pie has to be cooked at is the same. If you put pies in the oven that are not supposed to be cooked at the same temperature, one pie will burn while the other does not get cooked fully.
You can avoid this by adjusting the time each pie spends in the oven, but you must be wary and check the pies regularly so both pies are cooked evenly.
It’s also really handy to have a double oven. This way you can set them to different temperatures and you don’t have much to worry about. Obviously, this isn’t possible for everyone, but it can be a lifesaver to an avid baker.
Cooking multiple pies at once can be very necessary, especially on a time crunch. As you carefully follow the instructions given for each pie, you can and will be successful in your attempts of cooking multiple pies at once.